20-Somethings Move Into Neighborhoods And Offer Nothing

• June 1st 2010

by Mark Wellborn

Lydia DePillis over at Housing Complex had an interesting re-post today of an item from The Atlantic’s Future of the City blog that examines whether or not “20-somethings weaken communities they inhabit for a few months or a few years before moving on.”

The Future of the City blog used the Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope as a case study for this theory, which is appropriate if you are familiar with “The Slope”. Once dominated by moms and strollers, Park Slope has become a popular area in the past decade for young professionals who don’t mind squeezing three people into a legal one-bedroom to pay cheap rent.

The author of this item admitted that when he lived in Park Slope, he did not register to vote, read neighborhood publications, try to meet people in neighboring buildings, or volunteer locally. While to many, this civic inactivity may seem unfortunate, long-term residents likely appreciate that the three-year residents are not getting involved. DePillis seems to agree:

“Living in different places is clearly a great thing for a young folks’ development, but how can they do so without seeming like a plague of locusts to the communities where they take up residence? The answer, it would seem, is that if you’re only planning to be in a place for a few years, treat it like a delicate ecosystem—learn about it, care for it, but leave no trace.”

This opinion makes sense to us. Essentially, if you are not planning on buying or staying in a specific area, do not get involved in shaping the face of the neighborhood to suit your needs if you will be heading elsewhere in the near-term.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/20-somethings_move_into_neighborhoods_and_offer_nothing/2125.